Copy of Bus Service Guide & Bus/Tube announcements
Request ID: FOI-2528-2122 Date published: 25 February 2022
You asked
Dear TfL,
Please may you provide me with an up-to date copy of the Bus Service Guide that you issue to internal staff. The latest copy I have was updated in December 2019.
Additionally, please may I also request access to the digital version of all bus/tube/overground announcements, which I understand are kept on a SharePoint site. This is solely for personal/enthusiast use.
We answered
TfL Ref: 2528-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 3 February 2022 asking for information about the staff Bus Service Guide and various audio announcements.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked for:
an up-to date copy of the Bus Service Guide that you issue to internal staff. The latest copy I have was updated in December 2019.
Please find attached a copy of the requested publication.
Additionally, please may I also request access to the digital version of all bus/tube/overground announcements, which I understand are kept on a SharePoint site. This is solely for personal/enthusiast use.
Your email account has now been added to the permissions list to access the audio recordings and you should now have an email with a link enabling you to access the folder (please check your spam folder if this is not visible).
Upon opening the link you will be asked to verify your account which will generate a code to be send to your email address which is only valid for 15 minutes (you may need to check your spam folder). Once that code is entered you will have access to the relevant files which can then be downloaded. Should you encounter any difficulty with this please contact [email protected]
In respect of London Underground note that the on-train announcements for the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines are included in the folder. With regards to the London Underground station announcements, and the on train announcements for the other tube lines, we are not obliged to supply these as the information is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act.
In this instance section 43(2) has been applied as disclosure of the information requested would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of TfL and/or the company used to provide the recordings. The recordings in question were provided to London Underground under contracts which contained explicit conditions concerning disclosure and distribution.
These contracts specify that the recordings are solely to be used for the purpose for which they were created and for broadcast on the London Underground network only. If TfL were to disclose these recordings in response to an FOI request, it would constitute an actionable breach of contract and would be likely to result in a valid legal claim against London Underground or the license to use the recordings being withdrawn, which would impose additional, unnecessary, costs. TfL wishes to protect its commercial interests and ability to participate in future commercial activity. The disclosure of this information would be to the detriment of present and future business activities for both parties.
The use of this exemption is subject to an assessment of the public interest in relation to the disclosure of the information concerned. TfL recognises the need for openness and transparency within public authorities. However, in this instance this is outweighed by the damage that would be done to TfL’s ability to use these recordings and any future contractual negotiations that may take place regarding the London Underground announcements.
Please note that you are not granted any rights to any of the intellectual property that exists in the material or granted any permission to make secondary uses of it. TfL owns all intellectual property (including, without limitation, copyright) in the material supplied and will defend such rights. If you wish to make any secondary use of the material provided, you must first obtain the consent of TfL (which may be withheld) and, if consent is granted, a fee may be charged, in accordance with the terms of the Reuse of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed. Yours sincerely
Jasmine Howard FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
